Colombia beat USA but both teams go out of Davis Cup Finals

The United States finished bottom of their group after a second successive defeat

Tennis – Davis Cup Finals – Group E – United States v Colombia – Pala Alpitour, Turin, Italy – November 28, 2021 John Isner of the U.S. reacts during his match against Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan || 214029_0065

Simon Cambers

November 28, 2021

Colombia earned a special feather in their cap on Sunday as they beat the United States 2-1 in the Davis Cup Finals but it was a result that saw both teams fail to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Frances Tiafoe gave the USA the lead with a gutsy 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over Nicolas Mejia, saving two match points in the final-set tiebreak for what was his first Davis Cup victory.

But Daniel Elahi Galan Riveros levelled at 1-1 with a famous 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory over John Isner and Colombia then clinched the tie when Reilly Opelka and Jack Sock retired when trailing 3-0 to Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah. Colombia finished second behind Group E winners Italy, while the United States finished last.

Colombia take the tie 2-1 and finish second in Group E after USA retire in the doubles decider. #DavisCupFinals #byRakuten pic.twitter.com/vUMs3RhyEY
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 28, 2021

Battling Tiafoe fights to the end

In the team as a replacement for Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe showed his heart is as big as anyone’s out there, battling past Nicolas Mejia in a third-set tiebreak. Mejia saved three match points late in the second set to force a tiebreak but Tiafoe then saved two of his own, down 6-4 in the tiebreak, before clinching victory.

Big Foe gets @usta up and running 💪#DavisCupFinals #byRakuten | @FTiafoe pic.twitter.com/6aTkp81DyR
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 28, 2021

Isner beaten again as Colombia level

It’s not been a good week for Isner, crushed by Jannik Sinner in the defeat by Italy and then, on Sunday, taken out by world No 111 Daniel Elahi Galan.

Isner recovered well from dropping the first set to force it to a decider but the tiebreak didn’t go his way and Elahi Galan claimed a superb win.

🇺🇸 1-1 🇨🇴

Right down to the wire! Galan gets it done to keep Colombia in the tie, edging past Isner 6-3 3-6 7-6(5).#DavisCupFinals #byRakuten pic.twitter.com/QDZMRJXUDW
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 28, 2021

Cabal and Farah get the win as Americans retire

With nothing to play for, for either team, the doubles was always going to be a tough task for the American pair against the experience of Cabal and Farah, who’ve been at the top of the game for many years now.

And when Cabal and Farah took the first three games, Opelka and Sock called it a day.